Funding for Pulaski County’s fiscal plan, the courthouse elevator replacement project, and reassessment expenses was among the transfer and additional appropriation requests brought to the county council last week. Community Development Commission Executive Director Nathan Origer explained that he has $50,000 budgeted annually for potential land acquisition. But since the CDC won’t be needing it for that purpose, the county council agreed to let him make $36,000 of that available for the fiscal plan. The county commissioners have since decided to hire Peters Municipal Consultants for a cost not to exceed $24,000.
Council members also agreed to advertise several thousand dollars in additional appropriation requests for final approval next month. That will include $60,000 out of the Rainy Day Fund to pay architectural fees for the new courthouse elevator. Auditor Laura Wheeler said that council members had generally agreed to use Rainy Day funds for that purpose and the bills have been paid, but the money was never actually appropriated.
Meanwhile, the Assessor’s Office is asking to spend almost $29,000 out of its Reassessment Fund, to make the last payment in its 2017 reassessment contract. Almost another $27,000 would be appropriated for the IT Department’s share of reassessment software costs that was missed in the 2018 budget.
Pulaski Superior Court wants permission to spend another $5,000 to make up a shortfall caused by a larger-than-anticipated number of jury trials. Council members will also have to officially approve the reimbursement of unused Community Crossings grant funds to the state, after a bridge replacement project came in under budget.
